Analyze hobsons theory of imperialism and its usefulness in. Amid the welter of vague political abstractions to lay ones finger ac curately upon any ism so as to pin it down and mark it out by definition seems impossible. Although hobson himself was not a marxist he was a classical liberal, his theory. As a reporter covering the boer war 18991902 in south africa he decided that imperialism was a result of the expansion of capitalism and a major cause of war. This study of modern imperialism is designed to give more precision to a term which is on everybodys lips and which is used to denote the most powerful movement in the current politics of the western world. Chapter 6 three theories explaining imperialism mperialism is a term used to describe a situation in which one on country controls another. John hobson, jeremy corbyn and imperialism when i heard that jeremy corbyn had written the foreword to an antisemitic book, i assumed it was a recent work. Hobson and imperialism a new talking empire podcast. It is idle to attack imperialism or militarism as political expedients or policies unless the axe is laid at the economic root of the tree, and the classes for whose interest imperialism works are shorn of the surplus revenues which seek this outlet.
Hobson s influential work was drawn on by lenin when he wrote his book imperialism. Lenin imperialism also arises because increased concentration of wealth leads to undeconsumption. I m p e r i a l i s m t h e hi g h e s t s o f ca p i t a. As he saw it, however, the critical question was why the energy of these active agents takes. Facebook begins censorship purge after trumps assassination of iranian general soleimani. Imperialism, a study introductory introductory nationalism and imperialism. His 1902 book imperialism, a study is an extensive explanation of how imperialism works, as well as a critique of its outcomes. Irans missile strike on us airbase in iraq 23 jan 2020.
An investigation into the meaning and principles of imperialism. With an excerpt from imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism by v. Hobson and imperialism peter cain oxford university press. It is, however, evident that russian expansion, though of a more normal and natural order than that which characterises the new imperialism, comes definitely into contact and into competition with the claims and aspirations of the latter in asia, and has been advancing rapidly during the period which is. During his coverage of the second boer war, hobson began to form the idea that imperialism was the direct result of the expanding forces of modern capitalism. The existence of this surplus is due to the fact that the masses are kept in a condition of underconsumption through a policy of low wages for the workers and high rents for the financiers. English historicist economist, underconsumption theorist and apostle of the new liberal movement the son of a liberal newspaper publisher in derby, john a. A study 1902 was undoubtedly one of the most influential books of the early twentieth century. Harvey mitchell, hobson revisited, in john wood and robert wood eds. This is a selection from the last chapter of that book.
A committed liberal, hobson was deeply sceptical about the aims and claims of imperialistic thought at a time when britains empire held sway over a vast portion of. John hobson 1902 from imperialism, a study documenting. John atkinson hobson 6 july 1858 1 april 1940, commonly known as john a. Hobson has long been of interest to scholars of economics and sociology. Hobson 18581940, one of englands most famous critics of imperialism. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive.
Hobson s theory would fast number among the most influential critiques of imperialism. Hobson 18581940, one of englands most famous critics of imperialism a clue to hobsons thinking can be found in the title of his 1938 autobiography, confessions of an. Hobson 18581940 wrote extensively about the political economy of britain and its empire. Hobson, was an english economist and critic of imperialism, widely popular as a lecturer and writer. Peter cain marks the occasion by evaluating, for the first time, hobson s writings on imperialism from his days as a journalist in london to his death in 1940. Jan 12, 2015 in preparation for our upcoming free course on the controversies of empire ive been thinking hard about the legacy of j.
The early chapters chart hobsons progress from complacent imperialist in the 1880s to. These extracts from hobsons text present his views on the causes of imperialism. The early chapters chart hobson s progress from complacent imperialist in the 1880s to. Hobson states that what he called the taproot of imperialism is not in nationalist pride, but in capitalist oligarchy. This is a facsimile or imagebased pdf made from scans of the original book.
A study by john atkinson hobson, publication date 1902 publisher j. Pdf imperialism a study download full pdf book download. I m p e r i a l i s m t h e hi g h e s t s o f ca p i t a l i. A clue to hobsons thinking can be found in the title of his 1938 autobiography, confessions of an economic heretic. This fascinating and influential study is highly recommended for those with an interest in history and social science.
In preparation for our upcoming free course on the controversies of empire ive been thinking hard about the legacy of j. The book was written in 1902 in the wake of the boer war, a bloody, threeyearlong conflict instigated by mining companies bent on british annexation of south africas goldrich. Marked up by einde ocallaghan for the marxists internet archive. Hobson is best known for his writing on imperialism, which influenced vladimir lenin, and his theory of underconsumption his principal and earliest contribution to economics was the theory of underconsumption, a scathing criticism of says law and classical economics emphasis on thrift. A study was an epochmaking study of the politics and economics of imperialism that shook imperialist beliefs to their core a committed liberal, hobson was deeply sceptical about the aims and claims of imperialistic thought at a time when britains empire held sway over a vast portion of the globe. John hobson was an english economist and critic of british imperialism. Though imperialism has been adopted as a more or less conscious policy by several. Hobsons place in the liberal tradition of international thought is considered in the concluding chapter.
For others, the absence of intent negates the political relationship. May 20, 2010 according to hobson s theory, imperialism arises from the generation of underconsumption and oversaving in the capitalistic economy of the home country. Hobson 185840 of greater importance than the theories of edgeworth, bastiat, and george is the theme of the fourth economic heretic of the age imperialism. Why trump cant save israel, by tim anderson 29 jan 2020. Hobson european imperialism in the 19th century was a process in which more powerful and wealthy european countries took over and dominated smaller and underdeveloped countrieseither formally or informallyfor economic interests, such as resources and labor. Hobhouse, was part of the new liberal generation that recognized the deficiencies of laissez faire in addressing social problems. In his preface to the 1902 first edition of imperialism.
Jan 01, 2011 spokesman are to be congratulated for making it available once more. Hobson, is a politicoeconomic discourse about the negative financial, economic, and moral aspects of imperialism as a nationalistic business enterprise. Hobson seeks to explain the rise of the new imperialism in the 1870s and 1880s when britain, together with the other great european powers, engaged in a scramble for colonies. For a more thorough analysis on hobson s antijewish writings see. By analysing these journalistic sources, this study provides a reappraisal of hobsons imperialism. The assessment made is discussed, side by side, with hobsons works and the previous assessments made of them. John atkinson hobson 6 july 1858 1 april 1940 was an english economist and social scientist. This is a compressed facsimile or imagebased pdf made from scans of the original book.
Other articles where imperialism, a study is discussed. Apr 11, 2018 this classic study of imperialism by the radicalliberal economist j a hobson was originally published in 1902. Preface introductory nationalism and imperialism part i the economics of imperialism i. John atkinson hobson 1858 1940 was an english social scientist and economist most famous for his work on imperialismwhich notably had an influence on. Hobsons influential work was drawn on by lenin when he wrote his book imperialism.
The country being subjugated is generally a nonindustrial and nonwhite country such as cuba, india, or indonesia. Theories of imperialism the major explanations for imperialism can be grouped into three general categories. John hobson s imperialism is one of those social science classics that never really ages because the fundamentals of power, class and wealth never really change. The book was among the first to connect the rise of finance capital with the growth of imperial expansion after 1870. The economic taproot of imperialism no mere array of facts and figures adduced to illustrate the economic nature of the new imperialism will suffice to dispel the popular delusion that. According to hobsons theory, imperialism arises from the generation of underconsumption and oversaving in the capitalistic economy of the home country. Peter cain marks the occasion by evaluating, for the first time, hobsons writings on imperialism from his days as a journalist in london to his death in 1940. Notably, john gallagher and ronald robinson in their 1953 article the imperialism of free trade argued that hobson placed too much emphasis on the role of formal empire and directly ruled colonial possessions, not taking into account the significance of trading power, political influence and informal imperialism. In a period when imperialism was a catchword of politicians for winning popular support, he portrayed imperialism in a more grim fashion, showing it to be devastating both at home and in the colonies and pursued mainly in the interest of a few.
John hobsons imperialism is one of those social science classics that never really ages because the fundamentals of power, class and wealth never really change. These extracts from hobson s text present his views on the causes of imperialism. For hobson it is not the search for new markets but the profitable employment of surplus financial resources that is at the basis of the drive to imperialism. Imperialism, published in 1902, is considered his most important work. However, since the state represents the capitalist interest it is not possible to reduce underconsumption effectively through liberal.
Hobson emerges as the most comprehensive and sophisticated of the group, even though his ideas appear somewhat muddled. Hobson seeks to explain the rise of the new imperialism in the 1870s and 1880s when britain. The victorian era was a time when great britain, france, germany, belgium, portugal, holland, italy, and russia grabbed up colonies and economic concessions in africa and asia. The stronger nation is usually industrial and western meaning european, u.
This classic study of imperialism by the radicalliberal economist j a hobson was originally published in 1902. Hobsons imperialism belongs to the small group of books in the years from 1900 to the outbreak of war that have definitely changed the contours of social thought. Amid the welter of vague political abstractions to lay ones finger accurately upon any ism so as to pin it down and mark it out by definition seems impossible. Hobson 18581940 was an english economist and early socialist, whose writings on capitalism and industrialism influenced lenin and trotsky, and were highly regarded by john maynard keynes. Powerful financiers seek investment opportunities with a high rate of return for their excess savings, driving them to invest in the uncivilized lands of africa. But it turns out the book is imperialism by john hobson, which was published in 1902. At root, hobson was still a liberal, to the end still a believer in free markets, a solid defender of free trade and highly suspicious of governments, but recognized that.
I turn now, however, to a brief sketch of hobsons background and writings before surveying the scholarly literature on hobson. Apr 30, 2019 john hobson, jeremy corbyn and imperialism when i heard that jeremy corbyn had written the foreword to an antisemitic book, i assumed it was a recent work. Hobson was educated in the classics at lincoln college, oxford. For some, this is a virulent form of modern imperialism. A study was an epochmaking study of the politics and economics of imperialism that shook imperialist beliefs to their core. In hobsons seminal study imperialism a study, he explores the roles of patriotism, philanthropy, and the spirit of adventure in the light of modern imperialism. For a more thorough analysis on hobsons antijewish writings see. A study, which, as lenin observes at the beginning of his own book on the subject, gives a very good and comprehensive description of the principal specific economic and. Biographical sketch john atkinson hobson was born in derby on 6 july 1858, the second son of newspaper. Hobsons theory would fast number among the most influential critiques of imperialism. A study, which, as lenin observes at the beginning of his own book on the subject, gives a very good and comprehensive description of the principal specific economic and political features of imperialism see below, p.
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